Improvement in wash-boards



G. GALLUP. Wash-Board.

N o. 202,536. Patented April' 16; 187s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

GLEN GALLUP, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

f IMPROVEMENT IN WASH-BOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,536, dated April 16, 1878 application filed September 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it'known that I, GLEN GALLUP, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WashBoards; andI do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to' the accompanying drawings, which form-part'of this specification.

Myv invention relates to a new and useful improvement in wash-boards and consists in forming the board with a brush-surface, and, intermediate of the rows of bristles, providing slats or partitions which rise to a greater or less distance toward the ends of the bristles, said slats or partitions made to yield bodily against the bristles as the clothes are washed, whereby the bristles are prevented from flying freely back and spattering the water over the operator.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view, in longitudinalsectioinof a wash-board embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is across-section of same, showing the relation of the slatsor partitions to the rows of bristles, and indicating how the slatsmay'be heldin place.

A 'is any suitable wash-board frame. B are the brush-backs, bearing the rowsO of bristles. D are the slats or partitions between the rows of bristles. E are rubber or other elastic strips, which may or may not be tacked or otherwise secured to the edges ofthe separate brush-backs that make up the board proper. These rubber strips E do not form an essential element'of this invention.

The slats or partitions D may be made of material rigid in its nature, or of elastic material; but whether made of one material or the other, they are so connected with the frame as to yield bodily forward i and backward as the clothes are rubbed over thebrushes. ln this way it is apparent that the same pressure that causes the bristles to yield will cause the slat or partition toV follow up against the bristles, so that when the bristles are released they will be prevented from ying suddenly back and spattering water upon the operator.

The slats or partitions D may besecured to the frame or board in any suitable manner, so as to yield bodily. Thus, the endsof the slats may be beveled and engage .with the same slots or grooves F in the frame that support the ends of the brush-backs, or'any other suitable fastenings may be employed which will retain the slats, but permit them to yield bodily and follow against the bristles 'as they arebent over by the pressure in washing. So, also, the board or rubbing-surface proper may be made of one continuous brush-back, or be made up of several brush-backs, so that, if any one of the brushes is injured, it may be removed and replaced by a new section without necessitating the renewal of the entire brushsurface of the wash-board.

The slats are preferably caused to rise about half-way to the endsof the bristles, though this distance may be varied as may be best calculated to accomplish the object stated, and the bristles themselves should preferably rise only a triie above the outer edge of the wash-board frame, though this, too, may be varied without departing from the essential principle of my invention. i

I prefer to place a slat between each of the successive rows of brushes, though I may only place them between every second or third row, Ste., the object of the slats being to prevent the spatterin g of lthe water, and it is sufficient if enough slats are employed to accomplish this object.

A wash-board having a brushsurface the bristles of which are arranged in rows, and, in combinationtherewith, slats or partitions located between the rows and disconnected from the base that supports the bristles, and adapted to yield bodily as the clothes are rubbed over the board, and thereby limit the free back spring of the bristles and prevent the spattering of water, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have signed m'y name to this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' GLEN GALLUP. Witnesses F. ToUMEY, JOHN C. BIRDSELL. r 

